Cheshire Region meeting

Thursday March 29th 2012
Venue is the Boars Head Hotel, Middlewich , Cheshire CW10 0JE
7.30 pm for an 8 pm start. Entrance £2 for members on production of card : Non members £4


An evening with Ade Kiddell who will be presenting a slide show giving his Top Ten tips to catching more barbel with some hands on demonstrations, followed by a talk about his recent trip to India where he caught mahseer to 83lbs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icce4axxNXI

Raffle will include Korum products, Sonu baits and other useful barbel tackle.
Contact Steve Beech on 07814877275 for further information

Bristol man makes history

Bristol man makes history by becoming the first angler to be prosecuted for trying to pervert the course of justice

Angler Shaun Brindle thought he’d found the perfect ruse after he was seen fishing on the River Avon during the closed season without a licence and using an illegal bait – he’d pretend to be someone else!
But Brindle, 28, had under-estimated the persistence and professionalism of an Environment Agency bailiff who brought the evasive angler to justice after exposing his false identity.

On May 7, 2011 Brindle was fishing from a boat with a friend near Keynsham when they were spotted by an Agency bailiff who told them to stop because it was the closed season that runs from March 15 – June 15.
They were asked to move the boat to a nearby mooring so the bailiff could talk to them properly. Brindle agreed and after packing up his fishing gear started the boat engine and headed upstream to moor by the lock gates of the Kennet and Avon Canal .
The bailiff walked up the opposite bank and arrived at the lock gates to discover the boat and two anglers had gone. It was later found moored near the Old Lock & Weir public house upstream of Hanham Lock. The bailiff noted the boat’s name, ’Jasmine Sea Otter’, and saw it contained several fishing rods, some tackle and empty can of luncheon meat.
He told the owner of a nearby boat he intended to seize the Jasmine Sea Otter. The person said he could contact the anglers and agreed to pass the bailiff’s mobile phone number to them. Shaun Brindle later rang the bailiff, but refused to give his name. When told the owner of the boat could be traced through its British Waterways registration number, Brindle gave the boat owner’s name instead of his own.
Brindle confirmed he and the second man had been fishing and had valid rod licences. They had used luncheon meat and sweet corn as baits and hadn’t realised it was the closed season. Luncheon meat is banned as a bait under a local fishing byelaw.
On June 11, 2011 Brindle was interviewed under caution. Once again he identified himself as the boat owner and signed a statement using that name. Two days later the bailiff was contacted by the real boat owner who apologised that his craft had been used for illegal fishing and said it would not happen again. He confirmed he was not the person the bailiff had seen fishing on May 7 and said he had allowed some friends to borrow his boat on that day.
‘Providing false personal details to escape prosecution is a serious offence. The defendant was given every opportunity to give an honest account of his actions, but chose instead to assume a false identity in an attempt to pervert the course of justice,’ said Chris Povey for the Environment Agency.
Appearing before Bristol Crown Court, Brindle, of Sunningdale Drive, Warmley, Bristol was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 costs after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice. The case was heard on Monday (March 5).
Several rod anglers have been prosecuted by the Environment Agency for fishing on the River Avon during the closed season. They were caught during a crackdown by bailiffs who have been working closely with the local fishing association.

Environment Agency's Yorkshire and North East Region

WEDNESDAY 8TH MARCH

Do you have a question about the Environment Agency's work that you'd like answered?

We'll be online tomorrow for a web chat at http://yorksfishing.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=eano4.
We'll be online between one and three.
There are a few questions posted already for us, regarding tree maintenance, bankside access and fish stocking.
You will be able to view all the answers to this (and previous) webchats without signing up, but you'll need to register with the site and log in if you want to post anything yourself.

Jerome Masters  Fisheries Technical Officer

Getting there!

Anglers win battle in 3 year war for water industry transparency

The Angling Trust's legal arm Fish Legal has won an important victory in its campaign to make England and Wales' biggest polluters come clean about what they put into our rivers, lakes and seas, as well as what they pump out.

Following a 3 year battle and concerted attempts by water companies to prevent an appeal, Fish Legal has finally managed to get the case referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The Judge at the Upper Tribunal (UT) in London has prepared some legal questions to ask the CJEU to help decide whether water companies are "public authorities" under European legislation, and therefore subject to public scrutiny.
Fish Legal acting on its own behalf and as the legal wing of the Angling Trust with its 350,000-strong membership of angling clubs and individuals, has been battling to challenge a series of decisions, firstly by the Information Commissioner, and then the Upper Tribunal in an earlier case which held that water companies are not public authorities and therefore not covered by European Legislation and UK law - which meant their filing cabinets could remain shut.
As long ago as 2009, Fish Legal asked water companies for information on sewage discharges and clean-up operations at the thousands of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in England and Wales. Two companies - United Utilities and Yorkshire Water - said they were not "public authorities" and therefore did not need to provide the information by law. United Utilities took about 2 years to get the complete information to Fish Legal, whose lawyers believe the information should be available by right and not just at the whim of the water companies.

The Judge's decision to refer the case to the European courts is exactly what Fish Legal wanted and is the next step in getting the companies to open up to inspection by anyone who wants to know what their local company is doing to their watercourses or beaches.
The Judge will ask the Court of Justice of the European Union to answer questions which help to understand what a "public authority" is in European legislation and whether bodies like water companies are included.
Justin Neal, Head Solicitor for Fish Legal said: "it has taken 3 years to get to this position and we may have to wait another two years for the European Courts to provide answers to these questions. Nevertheless, we hope that common sense will prevail and that they will conclude that the privatisation of the water industry didn't take information out of the hands of the general public."
Leading barrister, David Wolfe, who provided the legal advice and representation for FL, commented, "I have been pleased to assist Fish Legal in getting the case the CJEU. I am optimistic that the CJEU will give an answer which will help everyone wanting information from water companies and other privatised utilities."
Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal said: "Water Companies should not be able to hide what they are getting up to. Water quality and quantity affect us all, and our legal team are committed to doing all they can to get access to this vital information not just for anglers, but for everyone who cares about the state of our rivers and coasts. This case could take five years for us to win, but it will be of benefit to generations of anglers and environmental campaigners."
Notes to Editors
1.Fish Legal and Emily Shirley v ICO and United Utilities, Yorkshire Water and Southern Water, was heard at the Upper Tribunal (UT) in London on 10th January 2012.
2.Fish Legal is the legal arm of the Angling Trust and takes legal action throughout the UK on behalf of its membership of angling clubs, riparian owners and fisheries. More information at www.fishlegal.net

Media Contacts
Mark Lloyd 07973 468198 or mark.lloyd@anglingtrust.net

Research and Conservation Auction 2011

The Barbel Society is delighted to announce that the 2011 online auction in aid of the Research and Conservation projects undertaken by the Society, raised almost six thousand pounds, with generous donations from tackle companies and fishing days with noted anglers such as Bob Roberts, Martin James, Chris Ponsford and Ian Welch.

 "This funding enables us to carry on with the valuable conservation work we are wholly or partly funding on many of the UKs barbel rivers, as well as some ground breaking research into barbel and barbel fisheries" said Pete Reading, BS Research and Conservation Officer

"We raised almost nine thousand pounds this last year, combined with the annual Barbel Society and Roach Club Fundraiser on the Hampshire Avon last autumn" 

The Society would like to thank the following donors of lots to the auction    

Andy Sliwa Rods
Billy Clarke Tackle, Sheffield
Bob Roberts
Coarse Angling Today
Chris Ponsford
Stephen Harper of Harper Fine Angling Books
Christchurch Angling Club
Climax Tackle, Sheffield Dave Brown
Dave Mason
Dave Steuart
Don Caliendo
Dynamite baits Fishing Magic
Fred Crouch
Gary Mills  MillTackle
Gerry Higham
Glyn Gomersall, Three Rivers Baits
Graham Marsden
Ian Welch
International Centre for Birds of Prey
Kevin Clifford
Martin James
Nutrabaits
Pete Reading
Phil Buckingham
Phil Smith
Predator Publications Rich Frampton
Richard Hewitt Fish & Fly
Ringwood and District AA
Rob Burt
Steve Derby Steve Pope
Wickersley Angling Centre  Research and Conservation projects:  Where the money goes In the last five years, the Barbel Society has funded, or part-funded, the following projects, supporting both habitat work of real conservation value, and positive research into barbel and barbel fishery management; Stocking of the River Dane; following pollution of the river, the BS made a grant to a local club to help establish barbel populations. Stocking of the River Aire; the BS made a grant to a small club to help improve barbel populations on the river. Stour Barbel Project; in partnership with local clubs and the EA, the Society raised over five thousand pounds towards habitat improvement works on the river, involving the reintroduction of gravels, and construction of fry bays. Work on a weir at Throop was recently completed, and further works are planned. The EA and the BS placed 9000 small barbel into the middle reaches of the river in the last three years as part of the project. Arborfield Weir Project; the Society provided several thousand pounds worth of gravel and materials to support this EA led Award winning project on the River Loddon. Bransford Project; The Society worked in partnership with the EA and consultants to skylight a stretch of the Teme near Worcester, bringing life-giving light to the river, as well as providing improved bank stability. Unstable willows were pollarded and coppiced, and woody debris placed in the river, along with planting of fresh willow pollards to retain bank collapse. St Patricks Steam Project; the Society paid for a fish survey and report on this Thames tributary, and will support the resulting habitat works. Bournemouth University Research Project; the Society has funded a major piece of research work, which involves a review of all current barbel research work and tank experiments into competition between barbel and other species, both of which have now been published.  The University is also carrying out a scale reading study, using scales provided by the EA and BS members. This study will be the largest of its kind, and will provide information on growth rates and population structure for many UK rivers. A database of all available barbel-related research is to be compiled over time by the University. Barbel and gravels; the Society is helping to fund a PhD student researching the effects of barbel on gravel mobility and structure. River Cherwell Project; the Society is working in partnership with the EA and The Wild Trout Trust, providing funding to provide in stream cover for fish on this Thames tributary, in the form of large tree trunks, woody debris and live hanging willows. Hampshire Avon habitat works; using funds raised in conjunction with the Avon Roach Project, the Society has removed redundant iron pilings from the river, and has several thousand pounds earmarked for further habitat improvements. Barbel Society Handling Code; with help from film maker Hugh Miles, the Society will be producing a DVD and downloadable resources to help educate anglers in the safe handling of barbel, which will be provided free to clubs, tackle shops and other outlets  . All these activities require funding, which has been provided by the generosity of major tackle manufacturers, tackle shops, fishing clubs, Barbel Society members and the angling community.

A view from Fred Crouch

The latest issue of the members magazine has reached the doormats of the membership and it is usual that all that appears in Barbel Fisher is for members only.
As editor of the magazine and with Fred Crouch’s approval, I thought his views may give you his personal thoughts on the current state of barbel fishing.
If you have a view send it to barbelfisher@btinternet.com.
Better still if you would like your own views published on any matter that affects our fishing why not join the Society and give an open minded audience a chance to read them.

Thoughts from The President.

With my angling interest dedicated exclusively to barbel for well over fifty five years I have seen a few changes but none as worrying as my present concern for our barbel populations.   There can be no doubt whatsoever that in the majority of our rivers barbel numbers have dropped dramatically so in this piece I am taking an in-depth look at just what is happening, the cause and what can be done, if anything, to reverse the decline.   The first thing to say is the reduction in barbel numbers has been accompanied by a rapid escalation of individual weights.   Barbel angling history shows there has never been such a comparable leap in sizes.        
They were originally confined to three English river systems, the Thames, Great Ouse and the Humber/Trent until throughout the 1900’s many transplants took place and they now inhabit numerous rivers in England and a few in Wales.   In 1888 a barbel from the Thames set the official rod-caught record of 14lbs 6ozs which stood for more than a century yet such has been the phenomenal increase that barbel of that weight caught today of would hardly cause a raised eyebrow.
As more and more big fish were caught the cause prompted much discussion but unfortunately the truth became clouded by bogus claims, the two most prominent and persistent of which were the barbels’ consumption of high numbers of American signal crayfish and increasing water temperatures due to global warming.   Hopefully and at last both of these notions have been discredited by the following truths.
We are well aware it takes just a tiny number of ‘signals’ to find their way into a river for them to rapidly explode into plague-like proportions, a fact that makes a mockery of the suggestion that they were being heavily predated upon by barbel.   Anybody that doesn’t accept that should research pre-signal crayfish times and they will soon discover that most of our rivers held substantial populations of European white clawed crayfish but the growth rate of all cyprinid species remained at totally natural levels.   That is because the amount of digestible tissue in crayfish is extremely small and a huge number would have to be consumed to promote significant growth but the nail in the coffin of that particular assertion is that barbel have broken many river records on waters that had no signal crayfish.
Another claim put forward was that they eat the newly laid eggs of the barbel but as the fish deposit their eggs in purpose dug pits then cover them with a layer of gravel up to three inches in depth they would be out of the reach of the most persistent crayfish, but more about that later.
The claim that global warming has played a part is even more bizarre as our climate has increased by less than one degree in the last decade and only the most regularly targeted river species have shown massive weight gains.   If rising water temperature was responsible all species including gudgeon, dace, roach etc would have grown by amounts to break their respective records by equally huge amounts but they have not.  
In a recent issue of a popular angling publication a fish biologist was asked his views on the subject and a couple of his explanations were to put it nicely, ludicrous.   He suggested many fish of today’s inflated weights existed in the past but anglers didn’t have strong enough tackle to land them.   I’d say if tackle was strong enough in 1888 to land a barbel of 14lbs 6ozs from the Thames the odd fish of two or three pounds heavier wouldn’t have been too difficult.   Another reason he gave was that scales of years ago were not as accurate as today and very big fish were probably under-weighed.   I don’t think so.
Here are a couple of quotes from ‘Understanding Barbel’ which I wrote more twenty five years ago.   ‘Any river, fished or unfished, will only hold the number of fish which it can support with oxygen and food.   If one species begins to increase by virtue of its physical advantage an equivalent decline in other species must occur.’   And   ‘How the anglers’ bait affects fish stocks is often completely overlooked.’  
I used those lines to illustrate how the stock make-up of regularly fished areas is heavily influenced by the nourishment provided by anglers.   Stretches most popular with anglers are normally closest to parking facilities and soon become those most favoured by fish and before too long the extra food provided falsely inflates fish numbers which then become acutely dependent on the anglers’ provisions.   There are glaring examples of this symbiosis across the land although it may not be immediately recognised.   Lack of fish in any stretch of river have often been blamed on the river itself because as anglers we are more familiar with inflated fish stocks and when faced with much reduced numbers living on what nature provides we are mistakenly tempted to focus on the river environment as a cause of something amiss.   Here is a perfect example.  
The dense healthy fish populations of the historically famous Royalty fishery on the river Avon at Christchurch have been attracting anglers for well over a century but anybody that believes that is purely by virtue of the fertile chalk river may be surprised to discover just above the top weir the same river is devoid of anglers and virtually devoid of fish.   Rivers that don’t benefit by a regular supply of extra food will only support a modest natural fish biomass and that can be unbelievably small.   It is a mistake to think that stock numbers on a regularly fished section of river is in any way representative of the river as a whole.  
A perfect example of just what impact different baits can have on barbel populations occurred on the Royalty back in the 1970’s.   From the start of the 1972 season maggots were banned on the fishery after almost fifteen years of heavy use.   During the whole of that time the barbels’ weight remained within the normal parameters with the upper weight limit under twelve pounds.   Catches were generally made up with fish between three and eight pounds even though hundreds of gallons of maggots were fed into the water every week.   The fish could and did gorge on them all day long because the amount and calorific value of digestible material contained within the larvae is small.      
A noticeable change took place after 1972 when most Royalty anglers began using luncheon meat as an alternative to the outlawed maggot.   Within a few seasons one or two barbel reached 12lb and it soon became clear the massive amount of luncheon meat finding its way into the fishery was having an effect on weights.   It must be understood that many anglers used the rolling meat method with large hook-baits which were often dislodged from the hook by weed or missed bites and many attracter lumps were thrown in and it is not an exaggeration to say dozens of tins went into the water every day.
True mixed river fisheries attract various angling styles and all species get a share of the anglers’ baits but as they gain in popularity the barbel are gifted an advantage in as much that the donation from the angler is presented in a way most likely to benefit the bottom feeder and because lesser species are naturally reluctant to compete with much bigger fish the barbel soon begin to dominate.   The only species that can challenge the barbels’ dominance is the odd carp providing they are of comparable size to the barbel so it is safe to say that the barbel has virtual carte blanche where available food is concerned especially when it in the form of large pieces or is spread on the bottom.   The net result of that scenario is that lesser species decline in numbers to make way for the increase in barbel which is reflects nature’s balancing act.    
Now let’s take the angler out of the equation for a minute or two and have a closer look at how, left to its own devices, the barbel fends for itself.   In its natural undisturbed environment it will spend roughly 4 to 6 hours per day, normally shared between dawn and twilight, in all but the coldest periods seeking out whatever creatures are abiding in and around the stony river bed.   They have to work hard using lots of energy gleaning what provides just a little more than a maintenance diet in the mature fish but that’s all they need to do because the rest of their time is spent at rest.   They will extend their feeding time to support their fast growth period - the first 4 or 5 years of their life - after which the males’ growth slows while the females continue to grow at the same rate, a process called sexual dimorphism. 
Nature, left to its own devices doesn’t allow for overweight in animal species because of the negative effect on mobility, general life-style, longevity and ability to reproduce.   The only time any creature grows to obese proportions is when man interrupts this evolved balance and we do so at our peril because evolution normally gets things right, bringing order to the natural world, but man often get things seriously wrong, bringing chaos.   With pets, the correct amount of food and exercise is essential to ensure their stature stays within the parameters for good health but some owners ignore the expert advice and the outcome is normally an obese and uncomfortable creature.  
We, as humans are constantly being warned about the dangers of obesity and informed of the cause.   It is surely the easiest example of cause and effect we could ever have.   If any creature ingests more energy in the form of nutrition than they expend the result will be weight gain.   The fish in our rivers don’t grow to monstrous proportions when left to feed as nature intended and if it happens is because they have been overfed with huge amounts of high nutrition food.  
It has to be cruel to over-feed any creature to the extent their well-being is impaired and make no mistake it is truly the case but one overlooked element of obesity is that once it occurs the body demands extra food to fuel the extra size and that’s where the real difficulty lies.   More and more humans are overriding the guidance they are offered to limit food to healthy levels but at least they can get appropriate advice but lesser animals don’t so they can pay a heavy price when their natural feeding regimes are altered to yield nourishment at far higher levels than nature ever would.    
We are all now well aware that obesity effects general demeanour and can massively reduce life expectancy and no-one can deny that barbel, misshapen by being grossly over-weight will find resisting a heavy flow more exhausting than if they maintained their natural shape.   This becomes clearly obvious when playing the heavyweights as they ponderously labour against strong flows and cannot match the speed of lighter, slimmer fish without a massive increase in energy output which will place huge physiological strain on every part of their bodies which could mean an earlier death than otherwise expected.
Make no mistake, high nutrition food was developed decades ago for maximum growth in animal farming so we shouldn’t be surprised when it has exactly the same effect on barbel.   Next time you see on television the captive, hand-reared salmon in Scotland being fed with just a few handfuls of pellets remember there is a huge number of growing fish in any cage yet I have seen anglers arrive at the river with a bucket full of pellets and leave with it empty!   It is not the food itself but the grotesque amounts used that is encouraging barbel and other cyprinids to grow to unhealthy proportions.   Our barbel evolved a hydrodynamic shape suited to fast flowing rivers but it isn’t evolution that has caused such a gross distortion of that shape, it is the angler with the careless use of high powered bait!     
A little understanding of the barbels’ anatomy illustrates perfectly why nutrient-rich foodstuff has such a potent outcome.   They have a relatively poor digestive system consisting of throat teeth that tear, no true stomach and an intestine not much more than the overall length of the fish.   They maximise their nutritional intake by eating whole insects and other roughage which have a substantial amount of indigestible content to create a ‘pestle and mortar’ action to break down the soft tissue.   Compare that to the human who has a comprehensive set of teeth to cut, grind and crush food which begins to digestive in the mouth then moves into a stomach that continually squashes and liquidises it until it enters a thirty feet long digestive tract where most nutrients are removed.
By feeding high nutrition food to barbel their physiologically balanced system is overridden because the ingredients immediately break down into easily absorbed nutrients.   Add to that the effortless way it is gathered and the result is all too obvious.    We all know that when animals, including us, were fed an excess of high powered food while expending very little energy the result is rapid weight gain.    
There are three more facts that underline the barbels’ limited need of nutrients.   1.   Whereas warm-bloodied land animals expend energy to maintain their vital body temperature but cold-bloodied fish is regulated by the water itself.   2.   Unlike land animals, fish do not need to use energy by constantly opposing the force of gravity as their swim bladder renders them neutrally buoyant.   3.   During severely cold weather they can rest and go without food for several weeks on end with no ill effect.          
The successful procreation of barbel is a one of the wonders of nature especially considering the critical factors that have to be met if spawning is to be fruitful.   The gravel has to be made up with exactly the right sized stones to allow for correct percolation of oxygen bearing water.   Any clogging of the interstices, they are the gaps in between the individual stones, would quickly bring about a lethal drop in vital oxygen levels.   The water temperature has to remain between 14 and 18 degrees centigrade, the depth has to remain constant as does the water velocity which facilitates oxygen needs and the female has only forty eight hours to shed the eggs once they are mature.  
If the fish get all the right conditions it would stand for nothing if one other vital element is not achievable and that is the successful shedding of the eggs by the female and that is why, as I will explain, the optimum water velocity is so important.      
Barbel eggs differ from the eggs of other cyprinid species inasmuch as they have very little or no adhesion on the outside membrane, called the chorion, which makes the placement of them critical if they are to be viable.   The male barbel is normally sexually mature at the age of 2 or maybe 3 years but the female isn’t until she is 8 or even 9 years old.   At that age under natural condition she may be 6 or 7 pounds but ingesting high nutrition food over a number of years could elevate this to double figures.   The difference between naturally being 10 or 11 pounds and being the same weight through over-eating is telling by comparison.   Instead of have a long slim body the female will be very stocky but shorter and that could pose her a tremendous problem.              
Because of the lack of adhesion the female has ‘trap’ the eggs by covering them with stones.   This is done by digging a pit with her tail least three or four inches deep then squirting the eggs into it while immediately covering them by sweeping the stones back.   Now here is the problem.   To carry out that manoeuvre and accommodate the male as he sheds his milt onto the eggs she has to arch her body up to an angle of 30 to 45 degrees.   An over-stocky stature may make it virtually impossible for her to achieve this posture and hold it against the flow making it highly unlikely that the eggs would be deposited in the right place and be secured by a covering with stones.   Eggs left exposed would be swept away in the flow to be eaten by all and sundry.   As all very big barbel are females we have unwittingly created a huge obstacle to successful recruitment.   .  
We know for a fact that where anglers are excessively using high nutrition baits numbers of fish have dropped alarmingly as individuals have grown to monumental proportions.   Rivers that I am extremely familiar with no longer produce catches of anything like the numbers they did a decade ago and I would be surprised if any members’ mature local waters show a different situation.   I use the term mature because rivers like the Wye are young in terms of barbel stocks and yet to reach their potential but as they do and if anglers’ baiting habits don’t change they are certain to follow suit.    
Am I just scaremongering?   No I certainly am not.   My local river, the Lee used to hold large numbers of barbel throughout most of its upper and middle reaches.   It never threatened the rod caught record with double figure barbel the exception and fish between 2lbs and 5lbs most common but over the last decade the change has been worrying.   In the middle reaches individual weights have spiralled to 17lbs plus which might sound really good until you factor in the accompanying decline in fish numbers which are now only a small fraction of what they used to be.   In most of the upper reaches it is as if time has stood still and a 10lbs fish is still a monster but it is possible to hook barbel of less than a 1lb up through every weight class and the reason is in most stretches the over-use of high nutrition baits is still rare. 
It seems to me that the practice of loose feeding either by swim-feeder or bait-dropper which was always so popular to get good amounts of particles such as maggots, casters, sweet-corn, chopped up luncheon meat and hempseed onto the gravel bed has been maintained with pellets etc.   The big problem is that their nutrient value is far more powerful than the previous favourites and clearly if things don’t change our barbel stocks will continue to dwindle.  
Myy personal message is for those that choose to use the baits in question to please keep the loose feed to an absolute minimum and help encourage our barbel stocks to recover to more natural levels.   I know, from the many anglers I have asked, the vast majority would love to go back to fishing for fun.   Who wouldn’t enjoy going to their favourite river and catching several fish up to 7 or 8lbs with half a chance of a double?   To prove my point I would highlight the rising popularity of the river Wye which I honestly believe is soon to become the centre of barbel angling and most fished rivers in the land and yet at the moment there is very little chance of a monster.  
We must all accept that holding the record nowadays is pretty well irrelevant and totally false encouraging the practice of intentionally targeting and over-feeding small groups of fish in an effort to create another record.   The majority of us are disturbed at the threat to our fish stocks imposed by an increasing otter population.   Bear in mind if we continually reduce our barbel numbers by increasing the size of individual fish we create further problems.   Big fish are unlikely to out-swim the otter which makes them far more vulnerable and because barbel numbers must decline in keeping the biomass balance when we do lose one to an otter it is obviously a greater percentage of that biomass than a smaller fish would be.  
Remember, we can have a large number of smaller fish or a much reduced number of very big ones but unfortunately we can’t have both.   Getting the future life-blood of our sport, the youngsters of today, into barbel fishing, is being made much more difficult than it need be because they like to see a bit of action and for that we need more fish not less.   
That’s all for, I’m off to the upper Lee for a bit of fun!    

Angling Trust

Angling Trust Celebrates its 1,500th Member Organisation

This week, the Barbel Society was the 1,500th angling organisation to join the Angling Trust. Since its formation less than three years ago the Trust has grown to represent more than 350,000 anglers, these clubs and river associations are a powerful political force to support the Trust's campaigns to protect marine and freshwater fish stocks and anglers' rights, and are one of the largest networks of clubs and associations of any sport. They range from Abbey Cross Angling Society to Zeal Monachorum Fishing Club and from recently-formed syndicates of 10 members to 10,000-strong clubs with more than a century of history behind them.

Steve Pope, Chairman of the Barbel Society said "The Barbel Society has been watching with interest the development of the Angling Trust since they formed two years ago. Following its recent successes fighting pollution, fish theft, predation by cormorants and getting £100 million Government funding to improve the UK's rivers we decided the time was right to join up and support their work which will benefit barbel angling and therefore our own members."



The Barbel Society are the 1,500th angling organisation to join the Angling Trust

Clubs like the Barbel Society pay a subscription of between £50 and over £600, depending on their size, to become part of angling's unified representative body. They receive highly preferential rates for specialised civil liability insurance which is essential in the modern world. They also benefit from advice sheets on a wide range of subjects, a free (optional) listing on the Angling Trust's find a club web page, and (for the 900 clubs who have opted to join Fish Legal) free legal action if their waters are polluted or damaged.

The Trust will be introducing new benefits for member clubs in the coming months. Individual membership of the Trust, which costs just £25 a year, is also increasing and has reached 14,335.

Angling Trust Membership Manager Will Smith is determined to increase this number further and said: "All serious anglers should join the Angling Trust as individual members to support the work we do fighting pollution, tackling cormorant predation and representing anglers. Individual members provide the resources and the political clout to enable us to do more for the benefit of all anglers. As a member of the Barbel Society myself, I'm delighted that they have joined, but I'm also an individual member of the Trust."

Pete Reading, Secretary and Research & Conservation Chairman of the Barbel Society said "I am delighted that the Society has now given full support to the work of the Angling Trust. The Research and Conservation work of the Barbel Society shares the common aims of the work of the Trust, and we look forward to working together to protect and improve the quality of our riverine environment."

Mark Lloyd, Angling Trust Chief Executive said "The Angling Trust is delighted to welcome the Barbel Society as new members of the Trust. Specialist and single species anglers are particularly passionate about their fishing and this is reflected in the growing number of them who are supporting our work to protect and promote fish and fishing. We recognise the fantastic work that the Barbel Society does to protect and increase understanding of the barbel and its natural environment."

Contact Details:
For further quotes or high resolution images/logos please contact
Will Smith
Angling Trust Membership Manager
will.smith@anglingtrust.net

See: www.anglingtrust.net and www.barbelsociety.co.uk for more information on both organisations.

Research and Conservation Auction 2011

Auction Lots

Bidding in the Auction can and will start tomorrow, 17th November for a full list of lots so far, 

see here              R & C Auction

You need to be a member to bid for the Lots, or you can have a member bid on your behalf..a proxy bid

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See the website for details.

More lots are welcome, so if you have something that you will donateand you wish to support the R&C fund please  email  barbelfisher@btinternet.com   with the details .

Please tell your angling pals, there will be bargains

Yorkshire Environment Agency Report

John Austerfield attends the meetings of the Environment Agency in the Yorkshire Region on behalf of the Society the following is part of their recent report:

If you would like a copy of the full report email barbelfisher@btinternet.com



Fisheries in Yorkshire
November 2011
Stocking Fish
•
New live fish movement regulations will be introduced on 1 April 2012, replacing current stocking and removal authorisations, and licences to keep non-native fish. There will be less paperwork, but fisheries and the wider environment will continue to be protected. We will focus on those movements which pose a greater risk to fisheries and the environment. We will let you know more nearer the time, but for now, please contact Nigel Hewlett (01480 483969) from our fish movements team if you have any questions. The new scheme involves:
o
a single, permanent fish movement permit for each fishery;
o
a single, permanent permit for fish suppliers to operate;
o
carrying consignment notes with fish in transit;
o
telling us in advance of certain high risk movements.
•
To get your Site Permit, all you will need to do is phone or email us - no forms are involved. If you can think ahead about what fish you plan to stock or remove in the foreseeable future, we can make your permit flexible to meet your needs, although you will be able to call us if you need to make changes. Your fish supplier will need a copy of your permit, or your reference number to get a copy from us.
•
This autumn sees a significant event in the recovery of the River Don. Our release of 1,000 young barbel will mark the end of our regular stocking plan for this river. Environment Agency fisheries teams generally stock rivers to restore fisheries, for example following water quality, or habitat, improvements or significant pollution events. As natural populations recover and become self-sustaining we are able to reduce the number of fish we stock.
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This autumn we will be stocking:
o
River Aire: 2,500 barbel
o
River Colne: 250 dace
o
River Derwent: 1,000 barbel
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River Don: 1,000 barbel
o
River Rye: 1,000 chub, 1,000 barbel
o
River Swale: 1,000 barbel
o
River Whiske: 500 dace
•
Next summer we will be stocking:
o
River Colne: 4,000 grayling
o
Costa Beck: 500 grayling
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Pickering Beck: 500 grayling
o
Isle Beck: 500 grayling
o
Kilpin Beck: 500 grayling
o
River Skell: 1,500 grayling

Research & Conservation AUCTION

Just some of the confirmed Auction lots 

Redditch Perfection 4" in silver. 1 of 25 limited edition centrepin reels from Gary Mills

Fred Crouch Aerial reel, choice of wide or narrow drum.

Day for two on fabulous River Test on Dave Steuarts private fishery
A guided day on the River Kennet with Steve Pope

Day on the Hampshire Avon with Pete Reading

Day on the Dorset Frome grayling fishing with Pete Reading

Barbel Society all fisheries ticket
Day on the Kennet with Rich Frampton

Manchester United tickets for two in Knights Lounge,.

Skies of Fire Rivers of Gold, Fred Crouch, leather bound limited edition

Catch a Big Fish David Carl Forbes, First Edition mint, classic Sixties title

Trent barbus fixed spool reel, high capacity

Shimano Baitrunner DL 4000FA fixed spool reel

Martin Hooper Barbel Rod, 12` pound and a half classic rod from Sundridge

Phil Smith’s new book Targets set and Achieved.

Paul Cook’s new book Lost in a Quiet moment

Chris Turnbull’s new book Reflections

John Wilson’s 1001 Top Angling Tips

Christchurch Angling Club membership
A day with Steve Pope on the Wye

Ringwood Angling Club membership

A day at the International Centre for Birds of Prey

Mr Crabtree Fishing book, Third Impression  1956 SIGNED BY BERNARD VENABLES

Carp Catchers Club by Maurice Ingham. No 69 of 99 leathers, signed by Bernard Venables.

1998 Medlar Press Limited Edition

Rod and reel Combo, Wychwood Signature 12` 1.5lbs and bait runner reel

Fishing magazine from No.1 to No.37, May to October 1963 in official Fishing binder.

(Classic mags full of articles from FredJ, Peter Stone, Dave Steuart, Dick Walker and others.

Fascinating reading but a rare collection)

Very limited edition booklet Abbey Cross AC, Post War to New Millenium, mint

Pair of hand made rod rests, fashioned from seasoned hazel wood, heavily varnished with whippings and fire-hardened points. (Will be personalised for the winning bidder)

Day with Martin James on the Ribble between November and March

Day on the Kennet with Dave Brown

Fox Specialist landing net 30”

Nutrabaits bait package, 2kg Trigga Ice, pack of new Hemp Fudge boilies
A day with Steve Pope on the lower Severn.

Trakker Xcell Half zip jacket, Medium

Terminal tackle pack; line, hooks, leads, feeders 


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